Printing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A plurality of pages of input print data are transferred from a marginless printing input unit into an input buffer. The number of input print data to be allocated to one sheet of paper, represented by J and K, is entered from a specifying unit. Here, J and K are positive integers representing the number of print data to be allocated in x and y directions of a print image on one sheet of paper. An allocation unit reads the input print data one page at a time from the input buffer and, based on the entered J and K, enlarges/reduces the print data. Then, the allocation unit clips a portion of the print data according to its position on the paper where it is allocated, and then outputs the clipped print data to the print image in the output buffer.

[0001] This application claims priority from Japanese Patent ApplicationNos. 2002-208887 and 2003-142653 filed Jul. 17, 2002 and May 20, 2003,respectively, which are incorporated hereinto by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a printing apparatus and morespecifically to a printing apparatus, a printing method and a programwhich perform printing by assigning print data for two or more pages toone sheet of paper in a marginless printing system.

[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0005] With a price reduction and performance improvement of so-calleddigital cameras in recent years, a system for printing image data shotby a digital camera with a printer has come into use in addition to anexisting system by which a photograph is shot and printed using aconventional silver salt picture film.

[0006]FIG. 5 shows a printing system in which a host computer and aprinting apparatus are interconnected through an interface. In theprinting system of FIG. 5 consisting of a host computer 1002 and aprinter 1003, a variety of data editing is performed by variousapplication programs running on the host computer 1002. Then the editeddata is output as print data through an interface 1001 (e.g.,Ethernet®), USB and IEEE1394) to the printer 1003 for printing. In thisprinting system, when print data is to be printed by the printer 1003,the associated application program causes a printer driver operationalon the host computer 1002 to display a dialog box for a user to specifyprint parameters such as paper size used for printing before theapplication outputs the print data.

[0007] In a printing system in which a digital camera is used in placeof the host computer, shot image data is output as print data from thedigital camera through the interface to the printer for printing.Further, in a printing system in which a storage media is connected tothe printer, image data stored in the storage media is output as printdata to the printer for printing. In these printing systems, anoperation unit of the digital camera or of the printer allows the userto specify the print parameters such as paper size.

[0008] There is a general trend for silver salt pictures being printedwith no blank margins and, in line with this tendency, printers haveentered the market which allow for a printing without leaving blankmargins (referred to simply as a marginless printing) to producephotograph-like prints. Many of these printers, as shown in FIG. 1,realize the marginless printing by outputting a print image 501 of aWi×Hi size, slightly larger than an effective print area of a printmedium, Wc×Hc, to produce a printed image slightly overrunning the edgesof the effective area of the print medium. In some printers, the imageoutput for those portions outside the effective area is printed toexactly the edges of the print medium and, in others, the overrunningprinted portions are cut away (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.2002-187261).

[0009] Meanwhile, there are printers and printing systems availablewhich, to reduce the number of printed sheets or to provide an overallview of a document, compresses a plurality of pages of print data andallocate them to one sheet of paper for printing (multipage printingfunction). For example, a plurality of pages of print images, like theones 501 of Wi×Hi size shown in FIG. 1, are assigned to divided areas801-804 of a single sheet 810 and printed, as shown in FIG. 3. While inFIG. 3, all the printed images shown are the same, actual printed imagesassigned to one page may be different (Japanese Patent ApplicationLaid-Open No. 11-147345 (1999)).

[0010] When a multipage printing, such as shown in FIG. 3, is performedin a marginless printing mode of FIG. 1, a combination of multiple printimages is generated as print data of a size slightly larger than andoverrunning the effective area of the print medium 610, as shown in FIG.2. That is, an output image 601 is generated which comprises a pluralityof print data arranged to contact with each other at their sides, andthis output image is printed. Individual printed images 901-904 in FIG.4 are each deviated from their own print areas. Particularly when thesame images are to be printed, a problem arises that the way theindividual images are deviated varies from one print area to another.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention has been accomplished to overcome theseproblems and provides a printing apparatus that can perform a marginlessprinting without deviating allocated positions of print data even when amultipage printing function is used.

[0012] To achieve this objective, the present invention provides aprinting apparatus comprising: a generation unit for generating a printimage to be printed on an area larger than an effective area of paper;and a printing unit for printing the print image generated by thegeneration unit and larger than the effective area of the paper; whereinthe generation unit generates the print image of clipped pages based onan allocation number specified by a specifying unit and representing thenumber of pages to be allocated to one sheet of paper.

[0013] The generation unit generates a print image by subjecting thepages to zoom processing according to the allocation number specified bythe specifying unit and representing the number of pages to be allocatedto one sheet of paper.

[0014] Further, the clipping performed by the generation unit executesprocessing on print data allocated to the effective area of the paperincluding its boundary and different processing on print data allocatedto other areas of the paper.

[0015] Further, the number of print data to be allocated to one sheet ofpaper, specified by the specifying unit, is entered as positive integersone for each of x and y directions of the paper.

[0016] Further, the number of pages to be allocated to one sheet ofpaper, specified by the specifying unit, is calculated for each of the xand y directions based on an entered value and on x- and y-directionsizes of the paper.

[0017] Further, the printing unit can print a print image that is outputwith at least one side of the paper taken as an arbitrary size, and thegeneration unit specifies to the printing unit a size of one side of thepaper based on the allocation number entered as positive integers forthe x and y directions, and outputs the print image to the printingunit.

[0018] Further, to achieve the above objective, the present inventionprovides a printing method comprising: a generation step of generating aprint image to be printed on an area larger than an effective area ofpaper; and a printing step of causing a printing unit to print the printimage generated by the generation step and larger than the effectivearea of the paper; wherein the generation step generates the print imageof clipped pages based on an allocation number specified by thespecifying unit and representing the number of pages to be allocated toone sheet of paper.

[0019] The generation step generates a print image by subjecting thepages to zoom processing according to the allocation number specified bythe specifying unit and representing the number of pages to be allocatedto one sheet of paper.

[0020] Further, the clipping performed by the generation step executesprocessing on print data allocated to the effective area of the paperincluding its boundary and different processing on print data allocatedto other areas of the paper.

[0021] Further, the number of print data to be allocated to one sheet ofpaper, specified by the specifying unit, is entered as positive integersone for each of x and y directions of the paper.

[0022] Further, the number of pages to be specified to one sheet ofpaper, specified by the specifying unit, is calculated for each of the xand y directions based on an entered value and on x- and y-directionsizes of the paper.

[0023] Further, the printing step can print a print image that is outputwith at least one side of the paper taken as an arbitrary size, and thegeneration step specifies to the printing step a size of one side of thepaper based on the allocation number entered as positive integers forthe x and y directions, thereby causing the printing step to print theprint image.

[0024] Further, to realize the above objective, the present inventionprovides a computer-readable program comprising: a generation step ofgenerating a print image to be printed on an area larger than aneffective area of paper; and a step of outputting to a printing unit theprint image generated by the generation step and larger than theeffective area of the paper; wherein the generation step generates theprint image of clipped pages based on an allocation number specified bya specifying unit and representing the number of pages to be allocatedto one sheet of paper.

[0025] Here, the generation step generates a print image by subjectingthe pages to zoom processing according to the allocation numberspecified by the specifying unit and representing the number of pages tobe allocated to one sheet of paper.

[0026] Further, the clipping performed by the generation step executesprocessing on print data allocated to the effective area of the paperincluding its boundary and different processing on print data allocatedto other areas of the paper.

[0027] Further, the number of print data to be allocated to one sheet ofpaper, specified by the specifying unit, is entered as positive integersone for each of x and y directions of the paper.

[0028] Further, the number of pages to be allocated to one sheet ofpaper, specified by the specifying unit, is calculated for each of the xand y directions based on an entered value and on x- and y-directionsizes of the paper.

[0029] Further, the printing step can print a print image that is outputwith at least one side of the paper taken as an arbitrary size, and thegeneration step specifies to the printing step a size of one side of thepaper based on the allocation number entered as positive integers forthe x and y directions, thereby causing the printing step to print theprint image.

[0030] As described above, the printing apparatus of this inventioncomprises: an input buffering unit for storing a plurality of pages ofprint data read from an input unit; an allocation unit for performingaffine transformation and clipping on the plurality of pages of printdata stored in the input buffering unit according to an allocationnumber specified by a specifying unit and representing the number ofprint data to be allocated to one sheet of paper and then allocating theprocessed print data to the print image; and an output buffering unitfor storing the print image for one sheet of paper. Therefore, even whena multipage printing function is used, the marginless printing can beperformed without deviating the allocated positions of the print data.

[0031] The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages ofthe present invention will become more apparent from the followingdescription of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing conventional inputted print data;

[0033]FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a result of performing a multipageprinting in a marginless printing mode using a conventional technique;

[0034]FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a result of performing a multipageprinting in a margined printing mode using a conventional technique;

[0035]FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a result of performing a multipageprinting in a marginless printing mode using a conventional technique;

[0036]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a conventional printing systemin which a host computer and a printing apparatus are interconnected viaan interface;

[0037]FIG. 6 is a block configuration diagram showing a first embodimentof a printing apparatus according to the present invention;

[0038]FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing operations performed by anallocation unit of FIG. 6 according to the first embodiment;

[0039]FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing enlargement/reduction processing instep S206 of FIG. 7;

[0040]FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing allocation processing in step S207of FIG. 7 according to the first embodiment;

[0041]FIGS. 10A to 10F are schematic diagrams showing theenlargement/reduction processing and the allocation processing;

[0042]FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing operations performed by theallocation unit of FIG. 6 according to a second embodiment;

[0043]FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing allocation processing in step S207of FIG. 7 according to the second embodiment;

[0044]FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing operations performed by theallocation unit of FIG. 6 according to a third embodiment; and

[0045]FIG. 14 is a block diagram showing a printing system according toa fourth embodiment of this invention in which a host computer and aprinting apparatus are interconnected via an interface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detailby referring to the accompanying drawings. Throughout the drawings,components with identical functions are assigned like referencenumerals.

[0047] First Embodiment

[0048]FIG. 6 is a block configuration diagram showing a first embodimentof a printing apparatus of this invention. In the figure, referencenumber 101 represents a printing apparatus, 111 an input unit, 112 aninput buffer, 113 an allocation unit, 114 a specifying unit, 115 anoutput buffer, and 116 a printing unit. The printing apparatus 101comprises the input buffer 112, the allocation unit 113 and the outputbuffer 115.

[0049] In this configuration, a plurality of pages of input print datais stored from the input unit 111 into the input buffer 112. The numberof input print data J, K to be allocated to one sheet of print medium isentered from the specifying unit 114, where J and K are positiveintegers representing the number of print data to be allocated in xdirection and y direction on one sheet. Let a size of print data in Xand Y directions be Wi and Hi and resolutions (number of pixels printed)in these directions be Rw and Rh. A value that can be entered as thenumber of print data is limited to 1≦J≦Rw and 1≦K≦Rh. If the size of aprint medium is about IS0-A4, for example, it is preferred that J and Kbe integers in a range of between 1 and 4 to prevent the print data ofone page from becoming too small.

[0050] The allocation unit 113 reads the input print data one page at atime from the input buffer 112 and enlarges or reduces the print dataaccording to the entered values of J and K. Then, the allocation unit113 clips an area of the print data according to the position on thepaper at which the print data is allocated, and outputs the clippedprint data to a print image in the output buffer 115. After all theprint data for one sheet of paper are allocated to the print image, theallocation unit 113 outputs the print image to the printing unit 116which then prints it on paper.

[0051]FIG. 7 shows a flow chart describing the operation performed bythe allocation unit 113 of FIG. 6. First, the number of pages of printdata to be allocated to one sheet of paper (the number of input printdata, J and K) is entered from the specifying unit 114 in step S201. Instep S202, counters j, k are initialized to zero. In step S203 if k<K,the program moves to step S204 to check if j<J. If so, the programproceeds to step S205 where it reads one page of print data from theinput buffer 112.

[0052] At step S206 the print data is enlarged/reduced and at step S207the enlarged/reduced print data is allocated to a print image in theoutput buffer 115. At step S208 if there is still print data remainingin the input buffer 112, the program increments the counter j at stepS209 before returning to step S204. At step S204 if the condition j<J isnot met, the program increments the counter k and initializes thecounter j to zero before returning to step S203. At step S203 if k<K isnot established, the program outputs the print image in the outputbuffer 115 to the printing unit 116 for printing, after which theprogram returns to step S202.

[0053] At step S208 if there is no print data in the input buffer 112,step S212 outputs the print image in the output buffer 115 to theprinting unit 116 for printing and the processing is ended.

[0054] That is, according to the allocation number entered from thespecifying unit 114 which specifies the number of print data to beallocated to one sheet, the allocation unit 113 performs an affinetransformation (combination of linear transformation and paralleltranslation) and clipping (removal of unnecessary areas) on a pluralityof print data stored in the input buffer 112 and then outputs theprocessed print data to the print image.

[0055]FIG. 8 is a flow chart describing the enlargement/reductionprocessing in step S206 of FIG. 7. First, the print data 701 of FIG. 10Aread in at step S205 is enlarged or reduced by a transformation matrixof step S301 according to the size of the effective area of the printmedium 710 in FIG. 10B and the number of print data to be allocated. Asa result, data 702 shown in FIG. 10C is produced. In this step S301,[xin, yin] is a coordinate of the print data 701 before being enlargedor reduced, and [x, y] is a coordinate of the data 702 after theenlargement/reduction processing.

[0056] Here, Wi and Hi are x- and y-direction sizes of the print data asit is input, and Wc and Hc are x- and y-direction sizes of the printdata to be printed on the effective area of the print medium. Wo and Hoare x- and y-direction sizes of the print medium. The transformationmatrix changes the x-direction size of the print data to Wo/(Wc·J) timesthe original size and the y-direction size to Ho/(Hc·K) times theoriginal size.

[0057]FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing allocation processing performed atstep S207 of FIG. 7. First, at step S401 if a counter j is j=0, then atstep S402 −(Wi/Wc−1)Wo/2J is substituted into A, where A is a variablefor data substitution described later.

[0058] If at step S401 the counter j is not j=0, then at step S403 aportion of the print data represented by a coordinate [x, y] in whichx<(Wi/Wc−1)Wo/2J holds is clipped. At step S404 (Wo/J)·J is substitutedinto A. Here y is an arbitrary value. Next, at step S405 if the counterj is not j=J−1, at step S406 a portion of the print data represented bya coordinate [x, y] in which x≧(Wi/Wc+1)Wo/2J holds is clipped. Here yis an arbitrary value.

[0059] Next, at step S407 if a counter k is k=0, at step S408−(Hi/Hc−1)Ho/2K is substituted into B, where B is a variable for datasubstitution described later. If at step S407 the counter k is not k=0,at step S409 a portion of the print data represented by a coordinate [x,y] in which y<(Hi/Hc−1)Ho/2K holds is clipped. Then at step S410(Ho/K)·k is substituted into B. Here x is an arbitrary value.

[0060] Next, at step S411 if the counter k is not k=K−1, at step S412 aportion of the print data represented by a coordinate [x, y] in whichy≧(Hi/Hc+1)Ho/2K holds is clipped. Here x is an arbitrary value. Withthese steps taken, the data 702 which was enlarged/reduced as shown inFIG. 10C is partly clipped according to the values of the counters j, k,as shown in FIG. 10D, to become data 703.

[0061] Next, at step S413 the data 703 is parallelly moved a distance Ain the x direction and B in the y direction with respect to the sheet ofpaper 711 by the above-described transformation matrix involving A and Bto produce data 704, as shown in FIG. 10E. In this step S413, [xin, yin]represents a coordinate of the data 703 before being parallellytranslated, and [x, y] represents a coordinate of the data 704 after theparallel translation processing.

[0062] If the above processing has been done with, for example, J=4 andK=2, then at step S414 output images for the paper 712 are combined toform a print image 705, as shown in FIG. 10F, with individual print dataallocated to their associated areas on the paper without deviations.

[0063] If the above steps are executed with, for example, J=4 and K=2,the print image 705 is printed on paper 712, as shown in FIG. 10F, withindividual print data allocated to their associated areas on the paperwithout deviations.

[0064] That is, print data are allocated to divided print areas of asheet of paper and set larger than the associated print areas. Theallocated print data are clipped to remove portions overrunning theassociated divided print areas to generate a plurality of print datathat match the associated divided print areas in such a way that apositional relationship of each generated print data with respect to theassociated divided print area is identical to a positional relationship,with respect to an undivided print area of the sheet of paper, of thesame print data set larger than the undivided print area (as in therelationship between data 701 and data 703).

[0065] Second Embodiment

[0066] Next, a second embodiment of this invention will be described.

[0067] A printing apparatus of this embodiment is similar to that of thefirst embodiment except for the input specification from the specifyingunit 114 and for the allocation processing performed by the allocationunit 113.

[0068]FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing operations performed by theallocation unit of FIG. 6. The processing in FIG. 11 is similar to thatof the first embodiment except for steps S1101 and S1102. FIG. 12 is aflow chart showing the allocation processing performed by step S207 inFIG. 11. The processing in FIG. 12 is similar to that of the firstembodiment except for step S1201.

[0069] In step S1101, only the number of input print data that are to beallocated to one sheet of paper, J, is entered from the specifying unit114 of FIG. 6. Here, J is a positive integer representing the number ofprint data to be allocated in the x direction. In step S1102,J·Ho·Wc/(Hc·Wo) is substituted for the value K representing the numberof print data to be allocated in the y direction. This enables amultipage printing while maintaining the ratio Hi/Wi between the x- andy-direction sizes of the print data 701.

[0070] However, when the value of K is not a positive integer, at stepS1201 in the allocation processing of FIG. 12, the decision of step S411is nullified and the clipping at step S412 is always performed.

[0071] If the value of K is not a positive integer, the print data,which is read out from the input buffer 112 at step S205 in the flowchart of FIG. 11 when K−1k≦K, is printed overrunning the paper to agreater extent than the print data read out when 0≦k<K−1.

[0072] Third Embodiment

[0073] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will beexplained.

[0074] A printing apparatus of this embodiment is similar to that of thefirst embodiment except for the printing unit 116.

[0075]FIG. 13 is a flow chart describing operations performed by theallocation unit of FIG. 6. The processing of FIG. 13 is similar to thatof the first embodiment except for step S1301.

[0076] That is, the printing unit 116 shown in FIG. 6 prints on rolledpaper and the y-direction size Ho of the paper can be set arbitrarilyfor each printing operation. The number of input print data to beallocated to one sheet of paper, J and K, is entered from the specifyingunit 114. Here, J and K are positive integers representing the number ofprint data to be allocated in the x and y directions, respectively. Atstep S1301 the allocation unit 113 sets the y-direction size Ho of thepaper to Hc·Wo·K/(Wc·J) in the printing unit 116.

[0077] As a result, the multipage printing can be performed whilemaintaining the ratio Hi/Wi between the x- and y-direction sizes of theprint data 701. Further, all the multiple pages of print data can beprinted without a deviation.

[0078] Fourth Embodiment

[0079] Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will beexplained.

[0080] A printing apparatus of this embodiment differs from that of thefirst embodiment in that the allocation of print images is performed bya host computer connected to the printing apparatus.

[0081]FIG. 14 illustrates a printing system in which a host computer anda printing apparatus are interconnected via an interface. In theprinting system of FIG. 14 made up of a host computer 1402 and a printer1403, a variety of data editing is performed by various applicationprograms running on the host computer 1402. Then the edited data isoutput as print data through an interface 1401 (e.g., Ethernet®, USB andIEEE1394) to the printer 1403 for printing. In this printing system,when print data is to be printed by the printer 1403, the associatedapplication program causes a printer driver operational on the hostcomputer 1402 to display a dialog box for a user to specify printparameters such as paper size used for printing before the applicationoutputs the print data.

[0082] The printer driver active on the host computer 1402 in FIG. 14displays a dialog box for the user to enter the allocation numbers J, Kas the print specification parameters, and performs allocationprocessing, as shown in FIG. 7, FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, on the image dataedited by the application program. Then, the host computer sends theprint data, made up of J×K pages of print image allocated to one sheetof paper 712 as shown in FIG. 10F, through the interface 1401 to theprinter 1403 for printing. The allocation processing may be performed byan application program rather than the printer driver. In this case, theapplication program can also output the print data to the printer 1403without passing it through the printer driver.

[0083] In this way, the print image for one sheet of paper sent from thehost computer can be marginless-printed without the allocated print datapositions being deviated, by using the multipage printing function evenin a printing system that uses a printing apparatus not capable ofbuffering the print image.

[0084] General Descriptions of Embodiments

[0085] General descriptions of embodiments of the present invention willbe explained below.

[0086] [Description 1]

[0087] A printing apparatus which inputs a plurality of pages of printdata from an input unit, allocates the plurality of pages of print datato a print image for one sheet of paper, and outputs to a printing unitthe print image to be printed on an area larger than an effective areaof the paper, thereby performing a marginless printing, the printingapparatus comprising: an input buffering unit for storing a plurality ofpages of print data read from the input unit; an allocation unit forperforming affine transformation and clipping on the plurality of pagesof print data stored in the input buffering unit according to anallocation number specified by a specifying unit and representing thenumber of print data to be allocated to one sheet of paper and thenallocating the processed print data to the print image; and an outputbuffering unit for storing the print image for one sheet of paper.

[0088] [Description 2]

[0089] In description 1, the clipping performed by the allocation unitexecutes processing on print data allocated to the effective area of thepaper including its boundary and different processing on print dataallocated to other areas of the paper.

[0090] [Description 3]

[0091] In description 1, the number of print data to be allocated to onesheet of paper, specified by the specifying unit, is entered as positiveintegers one for each of x and y directions of the paper.

[0092] [Description 4]

[0093] In description 1, the number of pages to be allocated to onesheet of paper, specified by the specifying unit, is calculated for eachof the x and y directions based on an entered value and on x- andy-direction sizes of the paper.

[0094] [Description 5]

[0095] In description 3, the printing unit can print a print image thatis output with at least one side of the paper taken as an arbitrarysize, and the allocation unit specifies to the printing unit a size ofone side of the paper based on the allocation number entered as positiveintegers for the x and y directions, and outputs the print image to theprinting unit.

[0096] [Description 6]

[0097] A printing method which inputs a plurality of pages of print datafrom an input unit, allocates the plurality of pages of print data to aprint image for one sheet of paper, and outputs to a printing unit theprint image to be printed on an area larger than an effective area ofthe paper, thereby performing a marginless printing, the printing methodcomprising: an input buffering step for storing a plurality of pages ofprint data read from the input unit; an allocation step for performingaffine transformation and clipping on the plurality of pages of printdata stored in the input buffering step according to an allocationnumber specified by a specifying unit and representing the number ofprint data to be allocated to one sheet of paper and then allocating theprocessed print data to the print image; and an output buffering stepfor storing the print image for one sheet of paper.

[0098] [Description 7]

[0099] In description 6, the clipping performed by the allocation stepexecutes processing on print data allocated to the effective area of thepaper including its boundary and different processing on print dataallocated to other areas of the paper.

[0100] [Description 8]

[0101] In description 6, the number of print data to be allocated to onesheet of paper, specified by the specifying unit, is entered as positiveintegers one for each of x and y directions of the paper.

[0102] [Description 9]

[0103] In description 6, the number of pages to be allocated to onesheet of paper, specified by the specifying unit, is calculated for eachof the x and y directions based on an entered value and on x- andy-direction sizes of the paper.

[0104] [Description 10]

[0105] In description 8, the printing unit can print a print image thatis output with at least one side of the paper taken as an arbitrarysize, and the allocation step specifies to the printing unit a size ofone side of the paper based on the allocation number entered as positiveintegers for the x and y directions, and outputs the print image to theprinting unit.

[0106] [Description 11]

[0107] A program for executing the steps described in any ofdescriptions 6 to 10 by using a computer.

[0108] [Description 12]

[0109] A computer-readable storage media storing a program for executingthe steps described in any one of descriptions 6 to 10.

[0110] The present invention has been described in detail with respectto preferred embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoingto those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be madewithout departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and it isthe intention, therefore, in the appended claims to cover all suchchanges and modifications as fall within the true spirit of theinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A printing apparatus comprising: a generationunit for generating a print image to be printed on an area larger thanan effective area of paper; and a printing unit for printing the printimage generated by the generation unit and larger than the effectivearea of the paper; wherein the generation unit, based on an allocationnumber representing the number of pages to be allocated to one sheet ofpaper, clips the pages to generate the print image to be printed on thearea larger than the effective area of the paper, the print image havinga combination of the clipped pages.
 2. A printing apparatus according toclaim 1, wherein the generation unit generates a print image bysubjecting the pages to zoom processing according to the allocationnumber.
 3. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theclipping performed by the generation unit executes processing on printdata allocated to the effective area of the paper including its boundaryand different processing on print data allocated to other areas of thepaper.
 4. A printing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein theallocation number is positive integers one for each of x and ydirections of the paper.
 5. A printing apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the allocation number is allocation numbers one for each of xand y directions of the paper and is calculated for each of the x and ydirections based on a particular value of the allocation number and onx- and y-direction sizes of the paper.
 6. A printing apparatus accordingto claim 4, wherein the printing unit can print a print image that isoutput with at least one side of the paper taken as an arbitrary size,and the generation unit specifies to the printing unit a size of oneside of the paper based on the allocation number, positive integers forthe x and y directions, and outputs the print image to the printingunit.
 7. A printing apparatus according to claims 1, wherein theallocation number is a number specified by a specifying unit whichspecifies the number of pages to be allocated to one sheet of paper. 8.A printing apparatus according to claims 1, wherein the generation unitclips a portion of a particular page overrunning a particular area, oneof areas produced by dividing the effective area of the paper based onthe allocation number, in such a manner that a positional relationshipof the particular page allocated to and larger in size than theparticular area with respect to the particular area is identical to apositional relationship of the particular page allocated to and largerin size than the effective area of the paper with respect to theeffective area of the paper.
 9. A printing method comprising: ageneration step of generating a print image to be printed on an arealarger than an effective area of paper; and a printing step of causing aprinting unit to print the print image generated by the generation stepand larger than the effective area of the paper; wherein the generationstep, based on an allocation number representing the number of pages tobe allocated to one sheet of paper, clips the pages to generate theprint image to be printed on the area larger than the effective area ofthe paper, the print image having a combination of the clipped pages.10. A printing method according to claim 9, wherein the generation stepgenerates a print image by subjecting the pages to zoom processingaccording to the allocation number.
 11. A printing method according toclaim 9, wherein the clipping performed by the generation step executesprocessing on print data allocated to the effective area of the paperincluding its boundary and different processing on print data allocatedto other areas of the paper.
 12. A printing method according to claim 9,wherein the allocation number is positive integers one for each of x andy directions of the paper.
 13. A printing method according to claim 9,wherein the allocation number is allocation numbers one for each of xand y directions of the paper and is calculated for each of the x and ydirections based on a particular value of the allocation number and onx- and y-direction sizes of the paper.
 14. A printing method accordingto claim 12, wherein the printing step can print a print image that isoutput with at least one side of the paper taken as an arbitrary size,and the generation step specifies a size of one side of the paper basedon the allocation number, positive integers for the x and y directions,and generates the print image.
 15. A printing method according to claims9, wherein in the generation step, the allocation number is a numberspecified by a specifying unit which specifies the number of pages to beallocated to one sheet of paper.
 16. A printing method according toclaims 9, wherein the generation step clips a portion of a particularpage overrunning a particular area, one of areas produced by dividingthe effective area of the paper based on the allocation number, in sucha manner that a positional relationship of the particular page allocatedto and larger in size than the particular area with respect to theparticular area is identical to a positional relationship of theparticular page allocated to and larger in size than the effective areaof the paper with respect to the effective area of the paper.
 17. Acomputer program product for executing a printing method, the printingmethod comprising: a generation step of generating a print image to beprinted on an area larger than an effective area of paper; and a step ofoutputting to a printing unit the print image generated by thegeneration step and larger than the effective area of the paper; whereinthe generation step, based on an allocation number representing thenumber of pages to be allocated to one sheet of paper, clips the pagesto generate the print image to be printed on the area larger than theeffective area of the paper, the print image having a combination of theclipped pages.
 18. A computer program product according to claim 17,wherein the generation step generates a print image by subjecting thepages to zoom processing according to the allocation number.
 19. Acomputer program product according to claim 17, wherein the clippingperformed by the generation step executes processing on print dataallocated to the effective area of the paper including its boundary anddifferent processing on print data allocated to other areas of thepaper.
 20. A computer program product according to claim 17, wherein theallocation number is positive integers one for each of x and ydirections of the paper.
 21. A computer program product according toclaim 17, wherein the allocation number is allocation numbers one foreach of x and y directions of the paper and is calculated for each ofthe x and y directions based on a particular value of the allocationnumber and on x- and y-direction sizes of the paper.
 22. A computerprogram product according to claim 20, wherein the printing step canprint a print image that is output with at least one side of the papertaken as an arbitrary size, and the generation step specifies a size ofone side of the paper based on the allocation number, positive integersfor the x and y directions, and generates the print image.
 23. Acomputer program product according to claims 17, wherein in thegeneration step, the allocation number is a number specified by aspecifying unit which specifies the number of pages to be allocated toone sheet of paper.
 24. A computer program product according to claims17, wherein the generation step clips a portion of a particular pageoverrunning a particular area, one of areas produced by dividing theeffective area of the paper based on the allocation number, in such amanner that a positional relationship of the particular page allocatedto and larger in size than the particular area with respect to theparticular area is identical to a positional relationship of theparticular page allocated to and larger in size than the effective areaof the paper with respect to the effective area of the paper.